Forum topic: Broomfield House - latest news

At the risk of repeating materiel already on the PGC website but for ease of reference can I respond to the recent postings. I agree with many of the points about how sad the situation is. However, we are where we are, and the trick is not to become defeated by past failures, but to focus on the potential which a restored House and stableyard would offer.

Broomfield House and the stable yard are Listed buildings and legally every avenue has to be explored before any permission to demolish them could be sought. Should this be the (very regrettable) outcome, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a whizzy new building suited for a listed park setting to be funded and built or there to be any agreement on what it should look like!.

However on the positive side, many locals see the situation not as a problem but as an opportunity to restore the historic core of the listed park, and this was the overwhelming response to last year’s public consultation.

There is only one source for the main restoration funding which is needed, and this is the Heritage Lottery Fund. If it is to be persuaded to help fund restoration, the process has to be laid out logically, deal with issues of heritage, environment, educational and public benefit, and demonstrate a financial programme for both the restoration and longer term financial viability.

The Broomfield House Partnership Board (on which both the Broomfield House Trust and the Friends of Broomfield Park sit) has been following the steps to achieve this. These are as recommended by Historic England based on their experience in similar situations. Unfortunately all this takes time but the results so far can be seen at-
new.enfield.gov.uk/services/planning/heritage-conservation-and-countryside/broomfield-house/
and
www.broomfieldhouse.org/news-archive.html

One option looked at for Broomfield House would include a new section within the existing footprint with current standards for access and which would house modern services. Add a good quality café/restaurant, restored hall and stairs and elements of the restored Lanscroon murals, rooms for hire/rent, with a digital history of the House and park accessible on site and remotely, and I think that the potential is clear, even before the stableyard is taken in to account.

Some may be convinced that “nothing can be done”. Well, fine, each to his/her own, but please don’t try to prevent those who haven’t given up from continuing to try. Be positive - you'll feel better!

Finding the finance isn’t easy, but we haven’t given up.

Colin Younger, Broomfield House Trust Chair

The Broomfield House Trust has carried out a project tender for a trial restoration of sections of the Lanscroon Murals which have been in store since the original fire. We have selected Arte Conservation to carry this out.



The restored sections are intended to be part of a Broomfield history exhibition in the Enfield museum in the Dugdale Centre next summer which the Trust will have to fund, though we won't be charged for the basic display facilities.

Although we aim to bid for a grant from the HLF, we need to raise funds ourselves. We have a pledge from the Enfield Society for £2,500 for which we are very grateful. Our friends at Palmers Green Waitrose have again, but regretfully for the last time, opened a collection for the murals under their "Community Matters" scheme. So if you shop at Waitrose and would like to support us, ask for green tokens and drop them in to our box!

Our Facebook page "Broomfield House and the Lanscroon Murals" has a donation button should anyone want to assist that way.